HSMAI Boston March 2016 Newsletter

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Navigating Digital Marketing Disruption

Modern travelers consult multiple channels across multiple devices before making a hotel booking. In order to stand out and be seen, hoteliers must have a strong knowledge of this increasingly intricate digital world. Greg Bodenlos, Brand Marketing Manager at The Charles Hotel, and Brian Fitzgerald, VP of Digital Strategy at O’Rourke Hospitality Marketing, discussed some of the latest changes and evolutions in the digital and mobile marketing space, including:

Changes in the broader digital marketing landscape across PPC, SEO and website design

Improving conversion rate in a time when competition for visitors is as fierce as ever

Tools and tactics to get the right ad, to the right person, at the right time

Content marketing in hospitality: storytelling with a conversion-minded approach

Our Newest Board Member

Bora Vezuli is currently the Business Transient Sales Manager for the Revere Hotel in Boston, MA. Her interests include addressing the priorities of the business travel community related to corporate duty of care, travel risk management, security and welfare, sustainability, and government advocacy. She is also interested in the impact of technology on the future of corporate travel procurement. In addition to her leadership role at HSMAI, Bora is an active member of the Global Business Travel Association (GBTA) and serves on the Government Relations committee of the New England chapter. Bora has over eight years of sales, marketing, account management, and teaching experience in service industries including hospitality and healthcare. Adopting a respectful and welcoming demeanor and delivering an uncompromising commitment to delivering honest, personalized customer service both lie at the heart of Bora’s sales philosophy.

Bora graduated with high honors from Worcester State University, lives in Cambridge, and enjoys traveling home to her native country of Albania whenever her schedule permits.

ROCET New Orleans

Fuel your revenue management future with this fast-paced one-day program from the Hospitality Sales & Marketing Association International (HSMAI), producer of the annual industry-leading Revenue Optimization Conference (ROC). ROCET, or Revenue Optimization Continuing Education & Training, will deliver tactical, strategic, and leadership insights for hotel revenue managers. The next ROCET is happening in New Orleans, more information avaialble through the button below

HSMAI – Intercollegiate Conference 2016

TripAdvisor Headquarters Visit

BU HSMAI members and faculty have been invited to TripAdvisor’s new headquarters in Needham on Friday April 1st. TripAdvisor will provide a great experience to learn about one of the Travel Industry top companies. This unique visit will provide insight in to what makes this great company tick.

TripAdvisor is providing the bus transportation to pick up students and faculty from SHA, as well as a complimentary lunch, tour and talk and Q&A with key executives. Professors Mody and Lanz will be on the trip and there is room for up to 48 students and faculty.

HSMAI Headquarters Staff Changes

HSMAI Headquarters has recently announced some exciting new appointments. A brief bio of each with staff member and their contact details is below.

Director of Chapter Management and Volunteer Experience

Jenny Heger

Jenny joins us from the Minneapolis Northwest CVB where she was the Business Development Manager. Before that she was in hotel sales at The Saint Paul Hotel and the corporate office of Northcott Hospitality (AmericInn Hotels). While at the CVB Jenny also served as the Managing Director of the Minnesota Chapter of HSMAI, and also served as the Chapter President in 2014 and 2104. HSMAI Minnesota was our Chapter of the Year in 2013. She also served on the HSMAI Sales Advisory Board and has served in leadership positions for local chapters of GBTA and MPI. Jenny will be home based in Minneapolis and started on March 1st . You can welcome her to the headquarters team at jheger@hsmai.org

Director of Operations

Mandie Jorgensen

Mandie has been promoted to Director of Operations from her former position as Associate Director of Membership Services. Now with HSMAI for 15 years, she is our expert on our database management system and will continue that role, but now assume more responsibility for meetings and events that we produce, and manage our association financials. Mandie is based at our headquarters in Mclean, Virginia, and can be contacted at mjorgensen@hsmai.org

Associate Director of Membership

Stacy Gleason

Stacy has moved from part time to full time and is our new Associate Director of Membership. Stacy, now with HSMAI over 8 years, will continue focusing on membership with her excellent selling skills, and with a selling focus on our corporate membership accounts. She will continue to help the chapters with their membership needs and work closely with Jenny, Mandie, Ellen Wilson and myself on membership growth. Stacy has a background in hospitality serving as a Director of Sales at IHG, and as a sales professional with Best Western, Marriott and other independent brands. Stacy is also located at our HSMAI headquarters in Virginia, and can be contacted at sgleason@hsmai.org

Membership Concierge

Ellen Wilson

Ellen has accepted the part time role of our new HSMAI Membership Concierge and will focus on onboarding new members and retaining current ones. Ellen also concurrently holds the role of HSMAI Adrian Competition Director, and is Managing Director of our HSMAI DC Chapter. Ellen, now with HSMAI 4 years, has a background in hospitality with a 20+ year history of sales and marketing as National Sales Director, Long Beach CVB, Regional Director of Sales for IHG, and years with Starwood and Marriott. Ellen is home based in Ashburn, Virginia, and can be contacted at ewilson@hsmai.org